12/27/2015

Standing at the Manger... Incarnation Meditations 2015... for the Monastic-At-Heart





Standing at the Manger...

There, in the lowly, common feeding trough for rough animals, Our LORD was laid.

No, the HOLY BABE+ did not choose the manger HIMSELF+.

Here is what HE+ did choose:

HE+ chose to leave His+ glory ---  that Glory HE+ had with The FATHER before the world was --- and come to earth as a man for the suffering of death, as a man like one of us.

So, His+ entrance into the world placed the nativity of this Royal BABE+ ...

·                   of the scepter-wielding tribe of Judah,
·                   of the princely line of David 



... into a common and lowly room for domesticated farm animals, at the very out-set !

HE+ was a Priest after the Order of Melchizidek, King of Righteousness, a Priest unto whom even Abraham paid tithes.

Even so, it was The FATHER'S good will that HIS Sublime SON+ be born into a humble environment, a setting even considered lowly by the standards of lowly men.

Oh yes, how we yearn to rule with CHRIST!

Do we also yearn  equally as much to be as lowly as HE+ was ? 

Is our goal to be swaddled in humility ?


Do we have such a degree
of humbleness of mind
that conviction falls
on others around us  ?


If not, let us return to the manger and STAND THERE. 

There, let us meditate on our dear SAVIOR'S+ littleness of Self.

Let us Pray:

O Perfect CHRIST, Who+ came in littleness of Self,  look with mercy upon my greatest need.

My need... my great need of humility ... hinders me from hearing Thy+ Voice, from doing Thy+ Will. 

How can I think that THOU+ will use me while I  resist embracing being lowly, the last, the least, the forgotten,  in mine own eyes ?

Help me  truly  to count others better than myself.   Help me truly  to enjoy being inconvenienced by others throughout the day, that Thy+ Holy Will may be accomplished. 

Absorb me in humility like THINE+ own, O CHRIST, that Our FATHER'S good will may flow through me at all times. Let Thy+ great humility grow in me unto a sweet-smelling and acceptable sacrifice offered  back unto THEE+. 

This I earnestly pray, O CHRIST, in Thy+ Holy Name.
Amen




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